Carefree Truth

Issue #375, February 16, 2015

 

 

 

Vice Mayor Les Peterson called the meeting to order.  All Council members were present, with Councilman Saltzman attending telephonically.  The Vice Mayor acknowledged David Schwan.  "I personally salute him."  He is a friend and a professional who did his absolute best to try to bring everyone together.  He has the heart for Carefree, always looking at how to benefit the citizens and merchants.  Councilman John Crane mirrored those comments. Councilman Mike Farrar agreed that everyone on the Council feels the same.

 

 

 

The first item on the agenda was to review and discuss possible action to appoint a mayor to serve the remaining term of the vacant mayoral seat, and other vacant seats that may be required by the appointment, as directed by Chapter II of the Town Code.  Town Clerk Kandace French explained the process.  Nominations are opened up to the Council.  The Council will provide their nominations.  Upon closing of nominations, the floor will be opened up to the public to speak on any candidate nominated.  The candidates are given the opportunity to speak.  An open vote will be asked of each Council member and recorded.  If a candidate receives a majority of the votes, the oath of office will be administered.  The Vice Mayor called for nominations.  Councilman Glenn Miller nominated Councilwoman Melissa Price.  Councilman Mike Farrar nominated Vice Mayor Peterson.  There being no further nominations, the nominations were closed.

 

 

 

Jim Van Allen asked to speak about something other then the nominations, and was told to proceed.  He thought that emails sent to council@carefree.org were distributed to all Council members, but recently discovered that emails had not gone beyond the desk of the Town Clerk.  He said it made it difficult to communicate when the individual Council members had to be contacted separately.  Vice Mayor Peterson said it would be checked.

 

 

 

Jim Whitmer thanked the Council for giving citizens the chance to voice their opinions.  He said everyone is in shock, and they wish Mayor Schwan good fortune.  He hopes the Council has the ability to avoid making this a one issue decision.  He was under the impression that the Council candidate receiving the highest number of votes became the Vice Mayor, and the Vice Mayor fills in for the Mayor.  The job of Mayor exceeds a 40 hour work week, and the Mayor must be able to deal with a multitude of issues, not just one.  He or she must be able to look at issues from all sides and mediate towards a centralist approach, leading the Town into the future, and must have a willingness to devote whatever is necessary for the benefit of the Town, meeting the needs of all, not just the few.  "David Schwan set the model that must be followed."  "Good luck in your decision.  The voters will be living with it for a long time."  

 

 

 

Vice Mayor Peterson asked if Councilwoman Price wanted to go first.  She deferred to him.  

 

 

 

Vice Mayor Peterson brings a balance in priorities.  He felt there are two major areas of concern.  The first is economic development.  He encouraged the Town to invest in the Baker Study to look at the downtown area with a panel of experts who would come back with an all encompassing plan to lead the Town in a direction to help build that area.  The report is due back in about a month, at which point workshops will be held.

 

 

 

He took the bad news received from Ed Lewis and ASU on the day of the meeting as a challenge to go back and talk to them. Discussions had already taken place that afternoon.  He reminded the Council that they still had interest expressed from the Desert Foothills Theater and the Sonoran Art League, and that the Heard Museum had agreed to re-institute discussions.  He also wanted to go back and talk to the Phoenix Art Museum.  

 

 

 

He pointed out that what he called "The Big 4", Lowe's, CVS, Basha's, and the Carefree Conference Center, currently generate roughly twice the amount of tax revenue than does the entirety of the rest of the downtown.  While there are legal constraints on what the Town can do, particularly with national chains such as Lowe's and CVS, they may be able to work in concert with an independent like Basha's, and could almost certainly do so with the Carefree Conference Center.  H e also felt there is an opportunity with the parcel at the N.E. corner of Carefree Highway and Cave Creek Road, which is for sale, and is in a high traffic area.

 

 

 

The second area is the sewer issue.  Years ago, the Vice Mayor started working with Black Mountain Sewer/Liberty Water to address problems with the treatment plant in the center of the Boulders that impacted many homes.  This led to action before the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC), which ended up cycling through the court systems all the way to the Arizona Supreme Court.  It is currently back in the Court of Appeals, and he thinks the rates will be coming down after decommissioning charges and legal fees are paid.  

 

 

 

The rates in Carefree are higher than those of adjacent communities like Scottsdale.  The sewer company has approximately $2 million per year in expenses, which it rebills to the customers.  Because commercial/industrial applications are heavier users, the billing rates are disproportional. The costs are split out with residential users billed 70% and commercial users billed 30%.  Carefree has a much lower percentage of commercial/industrial use than most other cities and towns, and restaurants are treated with particular pricing inequity.  A new rate case is due to be heard by the ACC in May.  The Vice Mayor thanked Al Swanson, of Venues Cafe, for pursuing action, and Mike Wright for supporting the restaurant owners.  There are many elements to balance on this issue.

 

 

 

Councilwoman Melissa Price has been on the Council for

3-1/2 years, 2 of which were spent serving as Vice Mayor.  She is passionate about Carefree and passionate about economic development.  She doesn't believe the downtown is sustainable on its present course.  Ms. Price authored the economic development plan in 2011. She has set up meetings with Realtors, Brokers, and businesses, as well as doing target marketing for businesses, various developers, and real estate attorneys.  She developed a capital improvement list, along with Mr. Neiss and Mayor Schwan, and campaigned for additional shade, sound, and mist systems in the amphitheater.  She and Mr. Miller negotiated a $250,000 sponsorship from Sanderson/Lincoln.  She was instrumental in convincing the Town to hire a Marketing/Communications Director, who is doing a fantastic job organizing the free concert series taking place now in the Gardens.  

 

 

 

Ms. Price has invested 30 plus hours a week in relationship building for the past 3-1/2 years, and has recently been trying to promote Carefree to ASU and plan for the future.  She has a strong and amicable relationship with the landlords, and formed a coalition to start a two way communication that encompasses talking about the sewer issues and other issues that prevent businesses from wanting to come into Carefree. She has a strong rapport with all the business owners, and is always talking to the residents as well, and keeps the HOAs informed about important meetings.  She brings operational and administrative skills to the table.  She wants to see Carefree move forward with the passion she saw 1-1/2 years ago.  She is a visionary and a planner, and is accountable.  A Council should be effective, efficient, and fiscally conservative, but the Town needs to invest in the town center and not let it decay.

 

 

 

Councilman Miller said he is backing Councilwoman Price.  She works than 40 hours a week, and is always behind the scenes talking to the stakeholders.  She has pushed for economic development more than anybody.

 

 

 

Mr. Miller wanted to read aloud the letter that had been received from Ed Lewis earlier in the day, because the Council has been so divided.  He didn't know if it was due to personal agendas or not.  He has never had a personal agenda, and is 100% for the Town.  "And if anyone puts in more hours, it's me."  He wishes the best for the Town and works hard for the Town, and he feels that this divided Council has chased away a good project.  He said the Town asked Ed Lewis to come forward and start now because we need it.  "The Town will die, and that's why we need the vision of a good mayor like Melissa Price."  Mr. Miller proceeded to read the Ed Lewis letter, which can be viewed on the Carefree Truth website by clicking on this link. http://carefreetruth.com/Carefree_Truth/EDL_2-10-15.html

 

 

https://vimeo.com/user18676056/review/119526224/61088cd4fd 

 

 

 

Lyn Hitchon

 

 

 

 

Prepared by Carefree Truth

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